Leather-polishing machine.



PATENTED MAR. 28, 1905.

W. H. GERRITY. LEATHER POLISHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG- 15. 1903.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

I N VENTOH iifllzam faernzg/ No. 786,110. PATENTE'D MAR. 28, 1905. W. H. GERRITY.

LEATHER POLISHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.15, 1903.

2SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES WILLIAM H. GERRITY,

Patented March 28, 1905.

OF NEWV YORK, N. Y.

LEATHER-POLISHING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 786,110, dated March 28, 1905.

Application filed August 15, 1903- Serial No. 169,610.

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM H. GERRITY, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of New York, borough of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Leather-Polishing Machine, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of this invention is to provide a machine for polishing or burnishing leather. Heretofore this work has been commonly done by a mass of glass held in the hands of the operator and drawn back and forth across the leather to surface the same. My invention seeks to do the same work mechanically, and therefore with much more rapidity and accuracy.

To this end the apparatus comprises a fram ing having two endless chains running on sprockets arranged in vertical planes, said chains carrying the skin-sustaining boards, so that by this means the skins or hides are moved through the machine, the skins being manually placed on and removed from the boards. On the framing are arranged one or more pairs of polishing-rollers. These rollers are arranged to have the skin-carrying boards passed between them and are driven revolubly, so that as the boards carrying the skins pass between the polishing-rollers the rollers act on the skins to attain the result desired.

The invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth.

This specification is an exact description of one example of my invention, while the claims define the actual scope thereof.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the apparatus with parts broken away. Fig. 2 is a front elevation, also with parts broken away; and Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail view, partly in section, of one of the scrapers and its actuating-spring.

The framing of the apparatus comprises a base portion 10, which is in two sections, -1

cated one on each side of the machine, these sections being connected by any suitable means (not shown) at their lower extremities. From the base portions 10 of the frame standards 11 project upwardly, and said standards are formed with lateral ofisets 12 at their upper extremities. between which offsets and the front portions of the base-sections 1O diagonal brace-rods 14 extend.

15 indicates a driving-chain passing from any suitable source of power (not shown) and running over a sprocket-wheel 16, fast on a sleeve 17 which sleeve in turn is mounted loosely on the right-hand end of a shaft 18, mounted horizontally and loosely in the framing of the machine. To said shaft 18, at the right-hand end thereof, are attached two elbow-levers 19, and at the left-hand end of the shaft 18 an arm 20 is attached. The arm 20 stands vertically, and the levers 19 each have a vertical arm, allof said vertical arms carrying revolubly the shaft 21 of the polishing-rollers 22. Said shaft 21 is revolubly driven by a spurgear 23, fast on the shaft 18 and meshing with a spur-gear 2 1, fast on the shaft 21. The elbow-levers 19 and the arm 20 are free to swing around the axis of the shaft 18, moving the roller 22 in an essentially horizontal arc without disturbing the driving action of the parts 23 and 2 1. The horizontal arms of the elbowlevers 19 have a rod 25 extending between them, and to said rod is attathed a tension device 26, comprising an expansive spring pressing upward on the horizontal arms of the elbow-levers. The polishing-roller 22 coacts with a corresponding roller 27, arranged back of the roller 22, (see Fig. 1,) and said roller 27 has its shaft 28 revolubly mounted in the elbow-levers and arms 29, similar to the elbowlevers and arms 19 and 20. Said elbow-levers and arms 29 are attached to a shaft 30, similar to the shaft 18 before described, and 31 inclicates a tension device acting on the elbowlevers 29 to throw upward the horizontal arms thereof. The tension devices 26 and 31 act, therefore, to press the rollers 22 and 27 yieldingly toward each other. The roller 27 is I driven by means .of a spur-gear 32, loose on the shaft 30 and in mesh with a pinion 33, fast to the shaft 28 of the roller 27. This train of gearing drives theroller 27 irrespective of its movement around the center of the shaft 30.

The sleeve 17 carries a sprocket-wheel 34,

over which runs a chain 35, this chain passing upward to and over asprocket-wheel 36, fast on a sleeve 37, in turn carried loose on a shaft 38, suitably mounted at one side of the uprights 11 and extending horizontally. Said shaft 38 carries fast two elbow-levers 39, having downwardly-projecting arms in which are mounted loosely the left-hand end of the shaft 40 of the polishing-roller41. The right-hand end of said shaft 40 is mounted in an arm 42, fastened to and depending from the shaft 38. The horizontal arms of the elbow-levers 39 are connected by a rod 43, and this rod is engaged with a tension device 44, such device including an expansive spring for pressing downward the horizontal arms of said levers 38. The shaft 40 is revolubly driven from the sleeve 37 by means of a gear 45, fastened to said sleeve and meshed with a gear 46 on the right-hand end of the shaft 40.

Mounted horizontally on the uprights 11 immediately behind the shaft 38 is a shaft 47 on which are fastened elbow-levers and arms 48, similar to the elbow-levers and arms 39 and 42. Said elbow-levers and arms 48 carry revolubly the shaft 49 of the polishing roller 50, whichlies just back of and coacts with the roller 41.

51 indicates a tension device comprising an expansive spring tending to throw down the horizontal arms of the elbow-levers 48, and thereby press the roller against the roller 41. Said roller 50 is revolubly driven by means of a gear 52, loose on the shaft 47 and meshed with the gear 45, said gear 52 being also in mesh with a gear 53, fastened to the shaft 49.

Connected with the gear 52 by a sleeve or otherwise is a sprocket-wheel 54, over which passes a chain 55, this chain extending upward to and over a sprocket-wheel 56. The sprocket-wheel 56 is mounted fast on a transverse shaft 57, carried in bearings mounted on arms 58, which are arranged to swing on the upper extremities of the uprights 11. 59 indicates adjusting devices for said arms 58 by which to regulate the tension of the chain 55. The arms 58 swing around the center of stub-shaft 60, which are mounted horizontally in the upper ends of the respective uprights 1'1. Mounted loosely on each shaft 60 is a gear 61, and these gears are respectively in mesh with gears 62, fastened to the shaft 57. Sprocket-wheels 63 are respectively connected with the gears 61 to turn therewith, and over these sprocket-wheels 63 the carrier-chains 64 respectively run. Said carrier-chains pass from the sprocket-wheels 63 downward to sprocket-wheels 68, mounted one at each side of the frame on stub-shafts 65. Said shafts are carried in adjustable boxes 66, mounted on top of the base members 10 of the frame. From the sprocket-wheels68 the chains 64 pass horizontally and rearward around sprocketwheels 67, mounted loosely on a rod or shaft 69,which passes horizontally between the base portions of the frame and serves as a part thereof. From said sprocket-wheels 67 the chains 64 pass upward in vertical planes to the sprocket-wheels 63, these vertical runs of the sprocket orv carrying chains 64 lying, respectively,at the inner sides of the uprights 11.

70 indicates the skin-carrying boards, which are fastened between the conveyer-chains 64 at suitable intervals,as shown,and which move with said chains in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 1. As the skin-carrying boards pass upward from the sprocket-wheels 67 they move successively between the paths of the polishing-rollers 22 27 and 41 50, where the skins or hides on the boards are acted on by the polishing-rollers in a manner which will be hereinafter set forth.

71 indicates two oppositely-located scrapers fastened to rock-shafts 72, extending horizontally between the base portions 10 of the frame and one on each side of the path of the vertical run of the conveyer-chains 64, the skin-carrying boards 70 passing between these scrapers, and in case the apparatus is used as a seasoning-machine to remove from the board or table 70 any superfluous liquid or semiliquid matter which may adhere thereto this removal takes place prior to the action of the polishing-rollers on the leather. Said scrapers 71 are kept yieldingly in active position by means of elbow levers 73, fastened to the shafts 72 and provided with tension devices. (See Fig. 1.) The tension devices consist of screws 74, connected with the elbow-levers 73 and extending loosely through lugs 74*. Springs 7 4 encircle the screws and bear against the levers and lugs and by expansive action throw the scrapers 71 into active position. Nuts 7 4 on the screws limit the inward movement of the scrapers.

75 indicates two .pairs of guide-rails, saidv pairs being located,respectively,at the sides of the frame and having their members spaced apart, so that the leather-carrying boards may pass between them. These guide-rails are held in place by brackets 76. (See Figs. 1 and 2.)

In the operation of the apparatus, the parts being assembled as shown, power is applied to the machine to drive the chains 64 and polishing-rollers 22, 27, 47, and 50. The skins are then manually thrown over the carryingboards 70. The skins are passed up successively between the pairs of polishing-rollers and returned to the front of the polishingmachine. Their position on the carryingboards should then be changed so that every portion of the skin will be uniformly subjected to the polishing action, after which the skins'should be allowed to pass again through sorted to at will without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. Hence I consider myself entitled to all such variations as may lie within the intent of my claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Paten t- 1. A leather-working machine, comprising an upright frame, endless chains, sprockets for the chains mounted on shafts at the upper and lower part of the frame, one run of the chains passing vertically, leather carrying boards carried by said chains, sets of leatherworking devices arranged one set above the other, and comprising rolls mounted in said frame and between which said boards are adapted to pass, scrapers located below the lower set of rolls and between which the boards pass, arms arranged to swing on the shafts carrying the upper sprockets for the endless chains, a shaft carried by the arms, a sprocketwheel and chain for driving said shaft, the chain being driven from the leather-working devices, adjusting devices for the arms carrying the shaft to regulate the tension of the chain driving said shaft, a driving connection between the said shaft and the upper sprockets for the carrier-chains, and means for driving the leather-working devices.

2. A leather'working machine, comprising a frame, endless chains mounted on the frame with one run in a vertical plane, a leather-carrying board carried by said chains, two sets of leather-polishing rolls mounted in said frame one set above the other, the members of each pair of rolls being located respectively on opposite sides of the path of said board, a tension device for the respective rolls of each set, to press the rolls of a set toward eachother, scrapers located below the lower set of rolls and between which the board passes, tension devicesfor the scrapers, means for driving the sets of leather-polishing rolls, and means for driving the endless chains from said polishingrolls as set forth.

3. A leather-working machine comprising an upright frame, endless chains mounted on the frame with one run in a vertical plane, leather-carrying boards carried by said chains, pairs of vertical guide-rails located respectively at the sides of the frame and having their members spaced from each other and between which members the boards are adapted to pass, brackets for holding the guide-rails in position on the frame, two sets of leatherworking rolls mounted in said frame, one set above the other, the said boards being adapted to pass between the pairs of rolls of each set, a tension device for each roll to press the rolls of a set toward each other, means for driving the chains carrying the boards from the leather-working devices, and means for operating the rolls.

L. In a leather-working machine, the combination of two leather-working rolls, swinging arms mounting said rolls to move toward and from each other, the arms being mounted on separate axes, a gear arranged to turn around the axis of each of said arms, the gears being intermeshed, a sleeve carrying one of said gears and mounted loosely on the said axis, means for driving said sleeve, a gear in connection with each leather-working roll and meshed respectively with the first named gears, similar leather-working rolls mounted on swinging arms and located above the firstmentioned set of rolls, a driving connection between the said sleeve and a similar sleeve mounted loosely on the axes of one ofsaid lastmentioned swinging arms, means for driving the said rolls from the last-mentioned sleeve, a sprocket-wheel, means for driving the same from said last-mentioned sleeve, chains driven by said sprocket-wheel, and leather-carrying boards carried by the chains and arranged to pass between the leather working rolls of each pair.

5. In a leather-working machine, the combination with a shaft, of a driving sleeve loosely mounted on one end of the shaft, an arm at the other end of the shaft, two elbowlevers attached to the shaft near the firstmentioned end, a leather-working roll having its shaft journaled in corresponding arms of the elbow-levers and the arm attached to the shaft, a rod extending between the other arms of the elbow-levers, a tension device connected with said rod, and means for driving the leather-working roll from the said sleeve.

6. In a leather-working machine, the combination with a frame, and leather-working devices mounted thereon of arms arranged to swing at the upper end of the frame, a shaft carried by the arms, means including a chain for driving said shaft from the leather-working devices, a sprocket-wheel driven from the said shaft, a chain-driven by the sprocketwheel; leather-carrying means attached to the chain, adjusting devices for the arms carrying the shaft to regulate the tension of the chain driving said shaft, and means for operating the leather-working devices.

7. In a leather-working machine, the combination with a frame, and with leather-working devices mounted thereon, of arms arranged to swing at the upper end of the frame, a shaft carried by the arms, means including a sprocket-wheel and chain for driving said shaft from the leather-working devices, adjusting devices for said arms by which to regulate the tension of the chain, a gear in connection with the shaft, a second gear meshed with the first-named gear, a sprocket-wheel connected with the second-named gear, a chain driven by the sprocket-wheel, and a leathercarrying means attached to the chain.

8. In a leather-working machine, the combination with a shaft, of a driving-sleeve loosely mounted on one end of the shaft, a vertically-extending arm at the other end of said shaft, two elbow-levers attached to the shaft near the first-mentioned end, and having vertical and horizontal arms, a leather-working roll having its shaft carried by the several vertical arms, a rod extending between the horizontal arms of the elbow-levers, a tension device connected with the said rod and comprising an expansive spring pressing on the horizontal arms of the elbow-levers, agear in connection with the loosely-mounted driving-sleeve, and a second gear in connection with theleather-working roll and meshed with the first-named gear.

9. In a leather-polishing machine, the combination of a skin-carrying table, means. for mounting and moving the same, a leather-polishing roll mounted at each side ofthe path of the table, means for driving said rolls, scrapers located at each side of the path of thetable below the said rolls, rock-shafts earrying said scrapers, elbow-levers carried by said rock-shafts, screws connected with said levers and passing loosely through'fixed lugs on the frame, springs encircling said screws between the levers and the lugs, and means carried by the screws for limiting the inward movement of the scrapers.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM H. GERRITY.

WVitnesses:

IsAAe B. OWENS, JNo. M. Rrrrrm'a. 

